


Just Listen

by Trenchcoatangels



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationship, Acceptance, Cas loves Dean, Dean Has a Daughter, Dean Loves Cas, DeanCas - Freeform, Death, Destiel - Freeform, Domestic Violence, Drama, Drug Use, Feels, Fluff, Forced Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Loss of Parent(s), Manipulation, Mechanic Dean, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Possessive Crowley, Possessiveness, Racism, Rehabilitation, Sexual Abuse, Single Parents, Student Castiel, Violence, child services, custody battles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 09:13:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4014109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trenchcoatangels/pseuds/Trenchcoatangels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thirty two year old single father Dean Winchester is at his wits end. After a car accident took the life of his wife, he and his eight year old daughter struggle to find their footing in life once again. It's only when Dean hires the young music student, Castiel Milton, to babysit his daughter, that some semblance of normalcy falls on them once more. </p><p>After swearing off love and romance to focus, instead in raising his daughter, Dean is shocked to find how easily and quickly he falls for Castiel's charms. But Castiel is reluctant to Dean's advances. He has a jealous secret, that if discovered or threatened, could cost Dean everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The waiting room was glaringly bright, plastic green chairs were scattered about, a television was displayed on the wall showing an old rerun of an Oprah episode. Dean Winchester sat slumped over in one of those chairs, weary and wet, waiting for news of his wife and child.

 

It had been a rainy, humid, summer day. Dean was working a normal shift at the garage when he got an urgent phone call from the hospital. Cassie, Dean's wife, had been picking up their daughter from a play date when she slid off the road and into a ditch. The car had flipped three times before landing upright in the field adjacent to the highway.

 

Cassie had been thrown from the vehicle as it rolled. their daughter, Tionne, amazingly, stayed strapped into the backseat almost completely unharmed.

 

He'd been at work when they called him. It had been the longest drive of his life.

 

Dean rubbed his eyes and shook himself, trying to stay awake. He's been in the hospital for about three hours, his phone buzzed once more, probably his little brother Sam, calling to make sure he was okay. Dean ignored the call again. Everyone else could wait, his family hung in the balance.

 

"Mr. Winchester?" Dean's head snapped up at the sound of his name. A thin doctor with shaggy brown hair and a knobby nose was walking towards him, extending his hand. Dean stood and took it, firmly shaking the other man's hand. "I'm Dr. Fitzgerald."

 

"How are they? Where's my wife? Is my daughter okay?" The doctor pursed his lips and patted Dean on the shoulder, squeezing his arm gently. Dean couldn't understand his hesitation. "Doc how is my family?"

 

"Your daughter is fine....she sustained a few bumps and bruises, a broken wrist, but nothing serious." Dean let out a deep whooshing breath and nodded, relief flooding him. But he needed to be sure.

 

"She has sickle cell. Did she-"

 

"No flare up, like I said she's fine, just a little shaken is all."

 

"Okay. Okay good. What about Cassie? How's my wife?" The doctor cleared his throat and looked at Dean apologetically.

 

"Sir she....her neck was broken," Dean sucked in a sharp breath, it felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach. He looked at the doctor in disbelief.

 

"Wha....what?"

 

"We believe she was dead before she hit the ground," Dean made a desperate choked off sound, tears started to blur his vision. Pain, white hot and heavy spread through his chest, lighting him on fire, his knees began to shake, the world was spinning and the phrase repeated in his head: "dead before she hit the ground....dead before she hit the ground...dead...."

 

Dr. Fitzgerald held Dean's shoulders, keeping the bigger man up as the shock of losing his wife ran through him. Mr. Winchester's face had drained of blood and was sickeningly pale, his eyes glossing over with the threat of tears. The man took a shaky breath. Dr. Fitzgerald licked his lips nervously, "your daughter's been asking for you. She's very scared but incredibly brave for an eight year old...she's in room 208, whenever you're ready and you got yourself collected you can go in.....now, now is the time for courage. Please be strong for your child." He patted Dean once more on the shoulder before turning away. Dean staggered back and slumped forward in one of those little plastic chairs. No one noticed how hard his shoulders shook or the blood between his lips, teeth bit down so hard to keep himself from screaming. It hurt.

 

Just that morning he had woken Tionne up with raspberries to her little stomach.

 

Just that morning he'd woken up to the beautiful smiling face of Cassie, his high school sweetheart, the love of his life.

 

Dean's shoulders racked with sobs. In that moment he didn't care about Tionne or the accident or the others hurt in the accident. In that selfish moment he only thought about his wife. His wife who had been taken from him so quickly. He didn't want to believe it, wished he hadn't heard it.

  
  


The walk to his daughter's room was almost unbearable. Dean went over it in his mind, over and over again, trying to find a good way to say it, an easier way for her to take the news. But how could you ever make death easy for anyone? You couldn't.

 

Tionne Winchester sat propped up in the hospital bed, hands folded neatly in her little lap and red bow escew on top of her thick tight curls. Dean smiled for a moment, watching her giggle at something sponge on had said, trying to put off the inevitable as long as he could.

 

She looked like her mother. Darker skin, unbelievably curly hair that, no matter how hard you tried, never grew down, always grew out, giving her a nice little Afro of curls on her head. She had her mother's nose and her lips. The only thing of him that she had were her eyes. Which were a pretty forest green color and only added to her beauty.

 

When he finally came into the room Tionne's soft smile turned to a wide and playful grin. The eight year old scrambled up into her father's lap as soon as he sat down on the edge of her bed, tucking herself up under his chin. He kissed her hair softly and squeezed her in his arms.

 

"Daddy! I've been waiting for you to come get me. Look what they did." She held up her hand to reveal an IV, that had been placed in the middle of the back of her hand. "They put me to sleep and when I woke up this was here. Can you believe it. They tricked me. Anyway where's mommy? I was asking for her. No one would tell-"

 

"Tionne." Dean's voice was as firm as he could be. Tionne's mouth snapped shut instantly, even though she thoroughly loved to chatter, when her dad used that tone it meant 'listen please.' "Tionne your mommy....." He sighed. "Tionne you remember when Grandpa John had that heart attack last year?" Tionne nodded.

 

"Yes. You said he went to heaven and now he's with Grandma Mary." Dean nodded. A lump formed in his throat and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't swallow it. He cleared his throat instead and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

"Well baby....baby your mommy is with them now too." Dean's voice broke at the end and a few unshed tears fell down his cheeks. Tionne took a moment, needing to register what her father had said. When recognition spread across her face Dean wanted to die, protect her, shield her from the pain. But all he could do was hold her closer to him.

 

"But....but Daddy that means that....that I won't see my mommy anymore. You're lying!" Her voice rose with hysterics, the heart monitor beside her bed jumped with acceleration. Dean shook his head. She wriggled against him, trying to break free from his grip. He allowed her to fight, to punch and to cry against him until she wore herself out to soft hiccups and sobs. She buried her face in the front of his shirt, her warm tears soaking through to his skin. A nurse came in to check on them. Dean waved her away. They stayed like that for a long time, Tionne bundled up against her father while he rocked her and cooed softly in her ear.

 

SIX MONTHS LATER:

 

"Mrs. Abernathy I promise I'll talk to her." Dean begged as the large older woman ran around his kitchen, packing her things. This was the fifth nanny in six months. Everyone he brought home his daughter drove right back out the house again. Mrs. Abernathy wobbled her way to the door, Dean followed behind her begging. "You're supposed to be trained to handle things like this. I'll talk to her. I swear. Just don't quit like this." The older woman turned to look at Dean, severe brown eyes meeting soft green. She shook her head and tsked, a taxi cab pulled into the driveway behind her.

 

"Your child is the most difficult I've ever had to face. And I have thirty five years of experience." She reached out and patted Dean on the cheek. Her hand was cold and calloused, Dean had to make a conscious effort not to shiver with disgust. "Perhaps military school would better suit her." The woman slammed the door behind her, leaving a dumbfounded and shocked Dean behind her.

 

Tionne was sitting on her bed coloring, when he finally decided to go upstairs. Her little tounge darted out of her mouth as she concentrated on staying in the lines. Dean sighed and sat down next to her. "Hi daddy," she mumbled without looking up at him.

 

"Hey. We need to talk." She made an indignant sound as Dean pulled the book and crayons from her. She sat back against her headboard and crossed her arms over her chest, jutting her lip out. Sometimes he swore she could give his little brother a run for his money when it came to pouting. "Mrs. Abernathy quit."

 

"Good. She smelled funny."

 

"Tionne." Dean sighed exasperated, running his fingers through his hair.

 

"I'm sorry daddy." She grumbled, looking down at her toes. "I didn't like her."

 

"You don't like any of the nannies I bring in here for you."

 

"I don't need them."

 

"Yes you do. I can't leave you here alone and you can't come to work with me." Her shoes made a clacking sound as she smacked them together, Dean reached forward and placed his hands over the tops of them to make her stop. She did. But she wouldn't look at him. "Sweetie they're only here for a few hours a day. I need you to be on your best behavior while I'm gone."

 

"None of them are like mommy...." She said this quietly, barely above a whisper. Dean looked at her sadly. He knew she was still hurting over the death of her mother, just as much as he was. He sighed once more and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her cheek and rubbed slow circled on her back. "I just want my mommy."

 

"I know baby....but mommy is gone. And we have to do the best we can without her okay? Now I need you to make her proud okay? What do you think she'd do if she saw the way you behaved around those nannies?" Tionne giggled, green eyes coming to life and a small hand over her mouth.

 

"I'd get a whoopin'" Dean chuckled and reached down, tickling his daughter's sides. His heart leapt with joy at the shrill sound of her laughter. He finally stopped when she was gasping for breath. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

 

"You'd get a whoopin'. Now let's go figure out what to do about dinner."

 

-0-0-

 

Dean scratched his head. Downing the last of his glass of whiskey and crossing off another name. He'd gone through six nannies and couldn't afford to keep going through more. He knew they talked and he knew that before long some of them would start refusing to come to his house, just based on what other's said. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

 

"How did you do it for eight years?" He said to no one. Before she'd died, Cassie had stayed home and taken care of Tionne. He smiled fondly at the memory of coming home from work, to be met halfway across the lawn by his little girl and the love of his life, both grinning and telling him about their day. God he missed Cassie.

 

"Name: Castiel J. Milton

Age: 25

'Part time babysitter. Monday-Friday, evenings Saturday, off on Sunday.'

Phone number: (555) 373-6709"

 

Dean bit his lip, mulling it over. He'd never thought of hiring a guy to watch his daughter but at this point he didn't feel like he had a lot of options. Of course he could and would screen him before the guy was left alone or anywhere near his daughter. You never knew who could be a creep now a days. But it seemed like the last hope he had.

  
He dialed the number. It picked up on the second ring.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. More of a filler really, laying the ground work :). Kudos and comments appreciated! Thanks for reading

Castiel winced, pressing two fingers gently against the bruised, puffy skin beneath his eye. The darkness of the bruise and the fluorescent light of the bathroom made him look paler, more gaunt. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and reached around to grab it, not taking his eyes off his reflection.

"Hello?" He asked in a gruff, unused voice. He hadn't spoken a word since the argument earlier.

"Hi, uh, I'm looking for Castiel Milton?"

"Speaking."

"Hello Mr. Milton. My name is Dean Winchester. I found your ad in the paper, are you still looking to babysit?" Castiel was only half listening, more preoccupied with the bruise on his face, but the word 'babysit' got his attention.

"Ah yes, I just put that ad in the paper yesterday." The other man chuckled nervously. His voice was deeper, masculine, he sounded like one of those 'boys will be boys' types. Castiel leaned against the sink, the stench of marijuana seeping through the door and into his nostrils. It made him dizzy.

"Well um...I need a sitter for my daughter. I was wondering if we could meet up and discuss this. I'd like to interview you before you meet my daughter....Just wanna be careful." Castiel smiled, he didn't see a lot of protective father's anymore. It was a bit of a rarity with the usual babysitting jobs he got.

"That won't be a problem sir." A loud knock on the door made Castiel jump, his heart accelerating. He locked his lips, trying to quell the fear growing inside as another sharp knock echoed through the wooden door frame. "When would be best for you?"

"Tomorrow at noon, if you'd like. If I hire you I'd like you to start immediately."

"I believe I have that time free tomorrow. Where would you like to meet?" Castiel listened closely, committing the little sub station Mr. Winchester described to memory. “I look forward to meeting you Mr. Winchester. Thank you for calling.”

“Sure...I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course." Dial tone.

Castiel set the cell phone back down on the edge of the sink and leaned forward, the pounding on the door had become incessant. He bit his lip, clenched his fists and sent up a silent prayer before opening the door.

His boyfriend stumbled through the doorway, his eyes bloodshot and white powder under his nose. Castiel shivered inwardly, in fear and disgust as wet blubbery lips pressed into the side of his neck and strong arms wrapped around his waist.

“What are you doing in here?” it was a mumbled question, the other man’s english accent was thick and one of the reasons Castiel had found him attractive, now he hated it. Castiel licked his lips, squirming and trying to get away, the other man’s head shot up, he glared at Castiel with warning. “Well?”

“I, uh, I got a phone call for a job. That’s all,” the other man cupped Castiel’s face and kissed his lips softly. He tasted like alcohol and marijuana. “I have to go for an interview tomorrow.” his boyfriend nodded, reaching up to gently touch the bruise under Castiel’s eye, Castiel flinched back.

“Shh….Shh...I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean it. I love you,” he held one of Castiel’s hands in his own, the other hand cupped the side of his face. “If you have an interview tomorrow you better cover that up good.” he pressed his lips to Castiel’s once more before the other man could speak. He reached down and grasped Castiel’s hands, pulling him out of the bathroom, and back towards the bedroom. “I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry.” Castiel followed reluctantly.

-0-0-

Dean set the phone down on the table and ran a hand down his face. Bobby could watch the garage for him tomorrow while he went to interview this Castiel person and Tionne would be at school. He sighed, “Please let this work out.” he mumbled to himself.

“Daddy?” Dean turned his head to see Tionne padding across the floor, towards him in the kitchen. Her hair was a mess, and her pajamas escew. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand as she climbed up into Dean’s lap. He stroked her back gently, pressing a chaste kiss to the side of her head.

“Hey angel. What are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” she yawned, leaning against him. “I miss her,” she mumbled, her words laced with sadness. Dean followed his daughter’s gaze to the photograph of Cassie on the refrigerator door. It was a snapshot, taken at random, but was probably the most beautiful picture they had of her. She was laughing, hard. Her eyes shut tight and mouth hanging open in a wide grin. Dean squeezed her in a warm hug and kissed her again, hoping she knew just how much he loved her.

“I know baby.”

“I’m sorry I made Mrs. Abernathy quit.” she looked up at her dad now, big green eyes full of guilt. “I just wish I was old enough to take care of us.”

“I know baby. But I need you to stop fighting so much. If I could stay home all the time you know I would. I would much rather hang out with you than a bunch of gear heads any day.” he reached down to tickle her sides teasingly. She shrieked and wriggled against him trying to break free, his heart was warmed at the sight of her smiling and enjoying herself.

“I know Daddy! I know!” she shouted, he eased up, letting her catch her breath.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he whispered, tilting her chin with his thumb and forefinger so she was looking at him. “If you promise not to fight with these babysitters anymore and stop trying to get them to quit, I’ll let you get that puppy you’ve been asking for.” Tionne’s eyes lit up with hope and excitement, “But only if you promise not to fight anymore.” she was nodding her head furiously, before he even finished speaking.

“I promise! I promise!” Dean kissed her forehead and took her little hand in his, shaking it firmly.

“It’s a deal.” turning his head, Dean saw that it was in fact later than he expected. Tionne clung to him tightly, wrapping her legs around his waist and burying her face in his shoulder as he stood. “But now we gotta go to bed okay?”

“Will you sing Daddy?” he smiled.

“Of course I will.” he started to sing ‘Travelin’ Riverside Blues’, Tionne shook her head against him as he carried her to her room.

“No Daddy. The song Mommy used to sing to me.” Dean stopped singing, his brow knitted in confusion.

“I don’t know that one very well sweetheart.”

“We can sing it together Daddy. Please. I’ll start.” Tionne cleared her throat, the noise vibrating through her little chest. _“Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you, and I wish on a star, that somewhere you are, thinking of me too.”_ Dean followed her lead, stumbling along the words until she got to the chorus. He sang with her as he laid her back down in her bed. Cassie had liked the person who sang the song they were singing now. He couldn't remember her name, she'd died in the nineties. But Cassie had loved her music so much, they'd listened to it all the time, and the song he and Tionne sang now, was the lullaby she had chosen for their daughter long ago.

_“Cause I’m dreaming, of you tonight, Till tomorrow, I’ll be holding you tight, And there’s nowhere, in the world, I’d rather be, than here in my room, dreaming about you and me.”_ Tionne grinned as her father brought her comforter up around her, tucking her deeper into bed. He handed her, her raggedy ann and she curled up on her side, burying her face into the soft plush stuffed toy. Dean ran his hand over her hair gently, kissed her forehead and turned to leave. She grabbed his wrist, her little fingers curling around the bone.

“I love you Daddy.” Dean kissed her knuckles.

 **  
**“Forever Angel.”


End file.
